Millburn 8-year-old baseball team falls to Cranford in district semis

Catcher Ryan Abbey of the Millburn-Short Hills Youth Baseball 8-year-old team tags out a Chatham runner at the plate June 28 in the quarterfinals of the Cal Ripken Northern New Jersey District 12 Tournament in Warren. Millburn advanced to the district semifinals with a 12-2 victory.

Cranford held the lead from start to finish June 29 en route to dealing the Millburn-Short Hills Youth Baseball 8-year-old team a 9-3 setback in the Cal Ripken Northern New Jersey District 12 Tournament semifinals in Warren

Cranford's Matt Chapman, whose father, Brian, is the head coach of Millburn High School's varsity baseball team, set down Millburn in order in the top of the first.

Pool A champion Cranford, the winner of four pool play contests by a combined 58-2 score, struck for two runs in the bottom of the first.

Chapman fanned two batters in the second when he again retired the side in order.

Cranford increased its lead to 5-0 in the second.

Millburn mounted its first rally in the top of the fifth.

Peyton Conn drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on Brett Molka's double to center.

David Mischel hit a comebacker, resulting in a pitcher to first to catcher double play. Molka was left stranded when Bennett Hoffman grounded to short.

Cranford parlayed four singles, a walk and an error into four fifth-inning runs, extending its lead to 9-0.

Millburn staged a two-out, three-run rally in the sixth.

Jack Meyerowitz walked on a full count. Ryan Abbey, following a walk to Hoffman, drove in both runners on a double to right.

Shayne Apple lined a run-scoring double to right to account for the 9-3 final.

"Our guys refused to give up and played to the very end against an amazingly strong Cranford squad that had (won by the 10-run mercy rule against) every other team it faced and had only given up two runs in four games," Millburn manager Gary Butter said. "We're all very proud of them."